


A Snake and A Curse

by LazySintastic13 (EmeraldWriter)



Category: Undertale (Video Game)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Underfell (Undertale), M/M, Minor Character Death, Parent W. D. Gaster, Rating May Change, Underfell Papyrus (Undertale), Underfell Sans (Undertale), kustard - Freeform
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2018-12-16
Updated: 2018-12-16
Packaged: 2019-09-20 14:30:28
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings, Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 6
Words: 5,843
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/17024412
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/EmeraldWriter/pseuds/LazySintastic13
Summary: Alone and lost, Red stumbles upon the so-called 'monster' in the depths of the forest.He thought it would be simple, but upon gazing at the scales past the bones, it was much more complicated than he thought ...Why is his soul seem to be calling out to this monster then?





	1. Chapter 1

He walked passed the monsters that didn’t hide their displeasures of his presence. The brown cloak he wore provided some safety as it hid his face, so they will never the see hurt expression he wore from their words.

“Isn’t he the one bearing the …”

“Aye, he is. Best to steer clear of him.”

“True, or else we’d end up like his brother.” A quick snicker followed by false concern. “Unfortunate and unlucky to have been born to such a family.”

“That monster is  _cursed_ , I tell you.”

He didn’t want to hear them, but he had no choice when they were so loud.

He needed to get out of the village to breathe air that wasn’t ransacked by hatred polluting it. It felt so suffocating that the skeleton wondered why he was still breathing, why he was staying … Why he was staying alive at all for that matter.

Not wanted.

Not needed.

He knew the feeling of being a nuisance all too well. But it wasn’t as if he could fight back. Not anymore, and not on his own.

His pace quickened even as he passed the gates to the outskirts of the village, and heading east of the three-way path that led to the graveyards. The skeleton used to be amused at how fitting it was that he spent so much of his time at such a place, but now, he couldn’t even find it in himself to make a façade smile.

He kept his head down, unable to look at the tombstones as he rushed passed them to trudge up the hill. On top was a single sycamore tree that showed its age … as well as where his brother’s grave lied.

He used to carry flowers that he’d grown in their backyard, and relayed jokes that he answered himself. But now, he stared at the wooden cross, a tattered scarf wrapped around it as it carelessly followed the direction of the wind.

“… Hey, bro. Today was shit … like always.” He tried to crack a smile, but he just didn’t have it in him to do so. So he sat on his knees, trying to be proper; trying to be composed.  _Trying_  but failing. “I … I know that you would probably knock some sense into me for thinking that I should’ve been the one to die that day and not you. That I shouldn’t feel guilty … That I shouldn’t be thinking about wanting to kill myself when you risked your life to save me.” His phalanges tried to grip at the hard dirt, ignoring the stinging sensation. “But stars, I’m losing reason to keep on living, bro. Every day is a chore. I’m practically not living anymore. What’s the fucking  _point?_ ”

There was no one to call family.

There was no one to call a friend.

There was just  _no one._

His voice trembled and he could feel tears of both frustration and sorrow crop up his eye sockets to slide down his cheek bones. The skeleton looked to his brother’s scarf, the pain that the latter wouldn’t be able to see reflected on his face. “I miss you, Fell. I miss you so damn much.” He wanted more than anything to have his brother wrap their arms around him; to comfort him as he had done in the past. “I wish you were alive and yell at me for cracking stupid puns. I wish I could wake up to seeing you cook and clean around the house, then telling me to not be a slob.”

His first smile in so long, was watery and filled with despair. “I wish you didn’t take the fall for me.”

He hiccupped, looking down as his body shook. The soil in his hands became moist from his tears. “I wish you didn’t die for me.”

The skeleton looked to the dark intricate engravings on his right arm; it wrapped around the bones that stopped at his elbow. He swore that it kept expanding as the years went … but really, what does it matter. He didn’t even care what they meant anymore for they only brought nothing but misery the moment they started to appear on him.

“… I wish I wasn’t cursed.”


	2. Chapter 2

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> A trip to the past … and flashbacks.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> You may get confused so to clarify, all up until the line break is told in Fell’s view. Even in the flashbacks. That’s why I didn’t bother putting divisions as the flashback are all italics (I tend to do this style).

Once he finished cooking, the tall skeleton looked to his brother who was sleeping on their couch. He couldn’t help shaking his head at what a lazy bones the latter had become. His attempts to make the other more active went down the drain when his brother kept skipping, and he had long since given up on that part.

Thinking about it now, Fell was reminded of the time when he first met the short skeleton.

It was a night like any other with his father coming home late and by then he was ten years old.

_The door opened and closed swiftly when his father arrived, carrying something that was wrapped in cloth. He also looked to be out of breath, and he wondered what was wrong._

_“Dad?”_

_“Fell, I need you to fill the basin over there with some warm water.”_

_He did so as quickly as he could without spilling anything and came back to his father sitting on the couch. His eye sockets widened as his father unwrapped what he was holding. “I-Is that …”_

_“Yes … I found him on my way back from the forest.” The tall skeleton wet the cloth, squeezing the excess clean up the sleeping baby bones._

_Seeing another one of his kind was new and rare. And to think that his dad would just find one_ in the forest _at that._

_“What about his parents?”_

_“… I met his mother, and …” The skeleton wore a tired and forlorn expression as he cleaned the tiny feet to finish up. “Go fetch your clothes when you were just baby bones. I think I kept them in the box behind the jackets.”_

_There was a frown on his face when he went to get them, and his father chuckled when he came back, still pouting._

_“Don’t worry, I’ll tell you. You’re smart and old enough to know anyway.” The tall skeleton took a light purple hue baby romper that had a design that said ‘Hero in training’ and began dressing the little one; making sure to be careful not to wake him up. “The mother was on the brink of death. She was too far gone to save … I just happened to be passing by, and when she saw me, she begged me to take her child and take care of him.”_

_His dad finished buttoning up the baby bones, and got up to lay him on Fell’s bed. “How could I have possibly refused?”_

_He looked at his father before down at the small monster._

_“How do you feel about being a big brother, Fell?”_

_His head shot up at his dad. “_ Me? _A big brother?”_

_“That’s right. Red will look up to you so you need to set a good example.”_

_“Red?” He looked to sleeping baby bones with newfound awe that he just got a little brother. “So that’s his name.”_

_Red was starting to stir awake, and he was met with big bright red eye lights._

_“Uh … Hi?”_

_Red giggled happily in response and his soul leapt at how adorable his baby brother was. With more confidence, he said, “Hey little bro. I’m Fell, your big brother. And starting today, you’ll be part of our family now.” There were happy gurgling noises for his efforts, and he found himself smiling brightly. He used his point finger, to which Red latched onto, for a makeshift handshake._

Fell realized he was smiling at the memory, and he chuckled before shaking his head for being so sentimental. Since then, Red had more or less grown much attached to him, although he still couldn’t get the latter be just as active as he was.

His eye lights caught the sight of the dark engravings that was now midway of his brother’s right forearm, and suddenly, his good mood became solemn.

Before his father passed away, he had warned him about Red getting a mark when he hit a specific age. It was six when it happened, and his little brother came crying to him in worry when he saw it.

_When he saw the mark, his eye sockets widened before they were immediately filled with understanding. ‘So, it had started. Father was right. You’re…’_

_“It’s all right, Red._

_The small skeleton hiccupped even as he attempted to wipe the large tears away. “Am I dying?”_

_“Of course not. This mark is a good thing.”_

_“G-Good?”_

_“Yes! So don’t you worry about it, all right?” He patted his brother’s head, who had more or less calmed._

_“W-What is it anyway?”_

_“… When you’re old enough, I’ll tell you.”_

He supposed that the time was nearing when he really did need to tell Red what it meant. It was truly unfortunate that the townspeople wasn’t as … accepting as he’d hoped they’d be. But at the very least they were tolerating enough to not be rude to his little brother. Though, in the future …

Fell shook his head again to rid of dark thoughts. It was okay. As his big brother, he would protect Red no matter what. He’ll do whatever it took to keep the smile on his brother’s face.

* * *

_He lied on his bed, weak and frail, but his voice still carried strength, “Fell, when the time comes, there will be a mark that will appear on Red’s arm and it’ll continue to grow… I have feeling that he won’t be … well-received by the townspeople because of it. And the braver ones might do something.”_

_His son, now a teen, wore a determined and serious expression. He couldn’t help smiling at how proud he was of not just Fell, but of Red as well. Such magnificent sons he had. “Don’t worry, dad. I’m going to protect Red no matter what.”_

_He sighed. “… I have don’t doubt that you will.” And his son left to pick up Red from school._

_When the door closed, he closed his eyes and knew his time had come. “I’m so sorry, my sons. I hope there will be happiness in your futures… and that my visions were wrong.” Even as he took his last breath, his thoughts swirled with uneasiness for his sons’ destinies._

_A parent will never stop worrying._

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Phew, that was a lot of background explaining. :D 
> 
> Everything seems to be looking good. XD
> 
> Yup, Red is adopted. Hi! :D 
> 
> The kustard will happen guys. I swear. Patience. I’m just as (maybe?) excited as you are when Red meets Sans. XD


	3. Chapter 3

After venting out his frustrations, he simply sat in front of his brother’s grave in calm silence. Red didn’t know how much time had passed. Not like it mattered. There was no one that would be waiting for him in that cold building he stopped calling ‘home’.

“Sorry you had to hear that, bro … I was just so tired is all. But I’m still hanging in there.” Red sighed deeply. He wiped his hands on his clothes to rid of the dirt on them. Then, he looked up to the darkening sky, gazing at the sunset; seeing its bright splendour painting his gray world with its warm colours.

Seeing it, Red couldn’t help but say, “I wonder what the world is like out there.”

All his life, he’s been living in the village; surrounded by forests and streams. It was forbidden to venture too far out because of the dangers that lurked beyond the depths.

Red heard the news mill around about a group of adults that explored deeper in the woods once. None of them came back. And it was enough to incite fear and apprehension in the hearts of others, but not him.

No. Instead, the short skeleton wanted to go. He had always to find out, but before, he was still young, and his brother and dad would advise him against it. And now, that feeling swelled. He wanted to find out what was beyond the boring and hateful village life he led and endured. But as curious as he was, he was also scared.

He wasn’t physically strong as his older brother, nor was he incredibly smart and as logical as his dad. He didn’t know how long he could really survive out there…

So he was left to just dreaming and wondering, and never ended up doing.

However, no matter how many years had gone by, there was … just something about the idea he could never get rid of. It always cropped up in his head whenever he looked out to the distance. As if something called out to him; beckoning to come … back?

Red’s soul thrummed when he felt a strong cool breeze come his way, caressing his bones all-so-familiarly. It was strange. But he welcomed it all the same.

“Hey, bro, did you ever get to go out and see beyond? I know that dad did, but he’d never tell me anything about it.” Red looked down to his mark, brushing his hand against the smooth surface. “Hey bro,” he said as he looked up to the wavering scarf, “You never did get to tell me what my mark meant in the end you know …” The skeleton could feel himself tearing up again. He was very close to his family that he couldn’t help but feel emotional every time he would recall a memory. “You just said it was a good thing.”

Red laughed dryly, and a watery and cynical smile etched his features. “But it’s a curse you know? Everyone says it is. An omen.”

Then, Red found himself crying once more, becoming emotionally distraught when he once again remembered his situation; of what he’ll be going back to. He sobbed, hiccupped, sniffled—a downright mess he was. “I-I-I miss you bro.  _Hic_. M-Miss you a- _hic_ -and dad.” He sniffed, his voice hoarse and nasally. “I wish I-I didn’t have t-to go back.”

Red was suddenly hit with the scarf on the face when a gust of wind came; managing to untangle it from the wooden cross. The skeleton pulled it off of him, and couldn’t stop the bubble of broken, but jovial laughter escape his mouth.

It was as if Fell was really there. Listening to him. Comforting him. Just like always.

“Hehe … T-Thanks bro.” Red smiled as he stood. Heading towards the cross to rewrap the scarf around it, only to be stopped by a particular stronger force of wind.

Red blinked, and then gazed down at the scarf in his hands.

_Keep it._

It felt like his brother was telling him that.

So Red began to wrap the tattered and worn down scarf around his neck.

“Hehehe,” the skeleton rubbed his face against the material, “I’ll take good care of it bro.”

He looked back to the cross to say his goodbyes. But what he saw stunned him.

There were tiny engravings on the side of the wood … words? He had to get closer to interpret and understand.

_“The secret lies, a layer deeper, in the threshold of colourful tomfoolery.”_

Red stared at it for a good long while. “… What?”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> What’s this? What in the world does this mean? A riddle? Why do they never tell it straight. UwU


	4. Chapter 4

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Time to solve that gosh darn riddle!

He wasn’t sure that he couldn’t just take the cross with him so Red made sure to memorize the words before rushing home. Faster than he ever thought he could be.

His brother certainly loved giving him riddles. Even when he never understood half of them.

It was lucky that it was already dark, and the skeleton didn’t come across anyone. His cloak gave the illusion of a billowing ghost.

Red opened and slammed the door shut, giving himself a moment to catch his breath. His lack of exercise made evident by how much his legs already shook, before he slid his back down against the door. But he had no time to be picky! He had to get to work and solve this damn thing. Although, for the life of him, he wasn’t all that good at solving them; however, it did mean one thing.

Red began to open their cabinets and closets and rummaged through it.

His brother hid something for him to find it.

And yet, after searching for who knows how long, Red wanted to hit his head, just outright slam it onto a wall and call it quits.

The skeleton was disheartened as he looked at the absolute mess he created. If he didn’t know he was the one responsible, Red would’ve thought that a burglar came in and ransacked the place.

Stupid Fell.

The skeleton sighed as he sat despondently on the floor.

Giving him a stupid riddle. Why not just tell him outright.

Even though Red knew why, doesn’t mean he couldn’t complain and be a pouty brat.

_“The secret lies, a layer deeper, in the threshold of colourful tomfoolery.”_

… Red looked around whilst thinking about if there was anything colour—His sockets widened at the realization.

 _No way. He didn’t!_  Red wanted to laugh himself silly. His big brother could be such an asshole sometimes.

He trudged over the already pulled open drawers, and he took the bottom drawer off. The one where they put colourful socks in. And then, he flipped it on its back, and sure enough, there was another not and a key.

_“Took you long enough. Now, no doubt you destroyed the place looking for this. Shame on you Red. I raised you better. But I digress.”_

Red couldn’t help but snort at that.

_“But let us cut to the chase, shall we. If you’re reading this, then that means I wasn’t able to protect you, and for that I am sorry for leaving you all on your own.”_

The tears cropped up as Red let out a soft laugh. Though he tried to make it sound playful, it ended up coming out as raspy with the tinge of regret and sorrow. “D-Damn right you should be.”

A wet drop hit the paper, and it startled Red to see the words become blurry. He hurriedly wipe away his tears, reading with a bit more distance. He didn’t want to ruin the last thing his brother wrote for him.

_“But I know that you won’t give up. No matter how hard it gets, I believe, wholeheartedly, that you’re stronger than you give yourself credit for, Red.”_

Reading it, Red shook his head as if Fell would see it. Because it wasn’t true. He wasn’t strong at all. Always had to be protected. And now … Hot tears streamed down his cheeks. His hands shook as a small hiccup left his mouth.

If only he was strong. His brother would at least still be alive.

He wiped his face once more to continue reading.

_“There is a box under the floorboards beneath the bed. Open that with the key, and in there, you will find a journal. Read it, and keep it with you. And no matter what, always believe in yourself. And stay safe … I love you brother._

_Ever since you were just baby bones, not once did I ever regret protecting you, teaching you, raising you to be a magnificent skeleton. You were my greatest joy and treasure._

_… Take good care of yourself, Red. I’ll still be watching over you even if I’m not there to personally guide you.”_  

Red hiccuped and sniffled, clutching tightly onto the wooden drawer and placing his forehead on it as he cried out pitifully.  _“Feeell.”_

At this moment, he was a lost child. Having lost his family, the only two people that was important to him, it was hard to move—hard to think of anything as hopeful.

But …

When Red felt that he cried enough, he placed the drawer on the floor and grabbed both the sticky note and key.

He headed over to push the bed until he saw the square grooves, and lifted it up. Just like what his brother wrote, there was the box.

The skeleton bent down to gingerly pick the object. He blew the dust off, coughing just a tad, before he unlocked it.

… Fell believed in him.

Red took the black bounded journal and stared at it for a good long minute. His big brother kept this for him … Fell’s last gift to him.

It took a lot for Red to not cry again. And braced himself with a deep breath.

Opening the cover, he read the first page.

_“To my dear baby brother. This journal may confuse you at first, but rest assured, I did my very best to explain everything as clearly as I could. And you will come to understand why I waited until you were old enough to know this … But to be honest, I wish I could’ve told you personally. But the fact that you’re reading this meant that I have already … Stay strong, Red. I’ll always be with you.”_

Well, stars, there goes the waterworks again. Red just couldn’t catch a break could he. He laughed brokenly, the droplets hitting the paper before he moved away from it.

“G-Geez, bro. ‘M tryin’ to stay strong ‘ere but y-you’re makin’ it hard. Heh-he. Y-You jerk.”

The skeleton took more deep breaths and dried his face with the cape he never removed.

Only then did he flip to a random page in the journal. His eyes widened at what he was reading.

_“Monday, XX, 13, XXXX_

_Today, Red took his first step! He started babbling too. Stars, how exciting! I hope he manages to say my name, or maybe call me big bro!_

_…_

_Thursday, XX, 21, XXXX_

_Red said my name! Ah, well, he called me ‘Bo’! And it’s frankly close enough.”_

Red kept flipping through, and it was just entries of his big brother documenting his life. From baby bones until Fell couldn’t anymore…

He flipped through the end, and his eye lights dilated at the sentence.

 _“From here on out, I want you to continue writing and_ tell me _your story, brother.”_  

Red gripped the journal, crinkling the papers. “I …” He gritted his teeth, as he slowly loosened his hold.

“I promise, big bro … I’ll write ya the best fuckin’ story you’ve ever read.”

With his heart steeled, the skeleton began packing up. Taking the necessities and shoving them in his knapsack, he made sure to double check if he’d forget anything before he wore the bag. The journal was already stored in the bag, planning to read it more carefully another time.

Right now, he needed to leave. After all … there was nothing left for him anymore.

* * *

Each step dragged through the soil, but somehow, Red felt lighter. The skeleton turned around and saw the smoke and flames from a distance. He heard the distant frantic cries as he could already imagined the villagers trying to put out the fire.

Red watched it for a good while, and let the memories sink in. Of when the house was called a home, filled with warmth. Of when he could greet his father, and brother. And they would laugh and smile and be there each other …

“I’m going …” It came out as a soft whisper; only the wind hearing him.

He turned and took a step forward. Red never looked back again.


	5. Chapter 5

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Our snake is here~! -gets pom poms- QvQ I finally made it!

Glossy dark blue scales had speckled of maroon covering parts of it. The large appendage slithered in between prone bloodied bodies. It looked like a massacre, with bones having pierced through flesh, of nailing limbs on the ground. And if one were to look closely, some had two-hole punctures centred in a patch of blue. It made the veins graduate from blue to black, making for a horrific sight of an infection that wreaked havoc to the unfortunate people.

 _Fucking hunters_. Sans clicked his forked tongue, hissing at the shot of stinging pain radiating from his shoulder and rib cage. His tail still had arrows embedded in it, making him leave a messy bloody trail.

He heaved with difficulty as his vision began to blur. It was disorienting his sense of direction that he couldn’t smell where his den was. It made him cuss out of frustration. At this rate, he was going to be some feast to the lucky scavengers.

The disturbing thought had him smile maliciously. Heh, it was almost an honour that no one creature could take him down. It took being ganged up by a bunch of hunters, there were thirty or forty, he lost count, to get a good amount of damage to him in his territory. _Not kill him._

There was a swell of pride in that knowledge; really holding up the title as one of the fiercest creatures in the deepest parts of the forest.

Though at this rate, Sans knew that his end was coming soon. Dragging against the muddy soil, dirtying the underside of his tail, and slowing his movements, his vision was doubling too much that he needed to stop. It was dizzying enough that his head ached, and the black spots began to increase in number.

He knew he shouldn’t have gone out of his cave, but there was a pull that urged him to go. He didn’t know what, but his instincts told him that he  _needed_  to be out. And what  _luck_ that brought him.

 _Fucking hell._  He panted heavily, taking his hand off his shoulder to see it covered in red, the liquid dripping to the mud.

It was no use.

He wasn’t going to make it anymore.

Sans clenched his hand into a tight fist, letting a small sad smile. To die like this … And all he wanted was to find his mate and start a family of his own. It was too greedy of a wish it seemed.

With the last of his strength, he managed to go through a large patch of bushes, only managing get his skeleton body through before he dropped to the ground without preamble.

“W-Woah!”

Sans blearily looked to source of the voice, could only see some red beyond the hood; the brown cloak billowed, as if mocking him that his pitiful end was here. He really wanted to laugh if he could. If only he had some energy to spare, he could take this one down as well.

But … why did he suddenly feel warm and safe?

He could only enjoy it for a moment before Sans couldn’t help but cuss one more time as darkness enveloped him. To die by a hand of another hunter. He really couldn’t catch a break.


	6. Chapter 6

Having been travelling through the woods for three days, Red knew he was lost as fuck. But for the life of him, he didn’t feel troubled. As if what he was doing was the right thing, which gave a really strange feeling.

Nevertheless, the skeleton trudged onward. As promised, began documenting his discoveries and feelings in the new pages of the journal for his brother.

He still hasn’t read much of the entries because he had to get used to adapting to the wild lifestyle first to survive. Though soon, Red was sure to be able to read it completely. He’d already gotten used to hunting small animals and had gotten to know good and bad wild berries. Thankfully, he hadn’t come across anything poisonous.

It was when he was making his way toward another patch of berries across from him when he was startled by a sudden body lurching out from the side in front of him, and dropped to the ground.

“W-Woah!” Red couldn’t help but exclaim. Not only in shock, but at the fact that he managed to come across another skeleton monster like him!

Though from the other’s state, it didn’t look good at all. Red hurried neared the skeleton to find that the latter had passed out. And from the scar-littered bones, as well the amount of blood, Red needed to do something quick!

He figured that he should pull the large skeleton out of the bush so that he could inspect the other’s wounds better. Wrapping his arms around the torso, Red began to pull.

 _Heavy! Holy fuck!_ It felt like he was pulling a train of skeletons instead of one. And when Red looked down to check, his eyes dilated in surprise, now knowing why.

Half skeleton, half snake; a  _lamia._ It was one of the feared beasts spoken in his village to scare the kids. He didn’t think they actually existed!

And yet, here he was, trying to pull an injured one out of the bush.

… Somehow, even with this knowledge, even when he knows that he should save himself and run away because the lamia was a dangerous monster, Red couldn’t make himself abandon it.

His gut was telling him to save this monster, and he knew that his father and brother would encourage him to do the same.

Red, pumped, steeled himself to keep at pulling the monster out of the bush. His small body made it very difficult but it didn’t stop him.

Soon, Red placed the skeleton to rest against a tree, and decidedly ran to the bush and bent to scoop the tail in his arms, and moved to pull it out until he finally saw it tapered to the tip.

 _Stars, he’s so long!_  And big too. Red was sweating by the time he actually finished pulling the monster out. And that was only step one. Time for step two, healing the monster.

Red decided to start with the tail since he was already there. Though his healing magic weren’t as good as his brother’s, Red prided himself to be decent at it at least.

He started with pulling out at arrow and pouring his magic into the wound to heal. He also spread his magic to fix up the gashes, as well as regenerate the torn up scales.

The procedure was slow, but there was progress as he was helping in stopping the blood loss and restoring the other’s magic. It was lucky that his own magic well was large, and that he was taught on how to heal; otherwise, he wouldn’t be able to do a damn thing for this monster.

Red kept at it until he finally reached the skeleton portion. He pressed a hand on the other’s chest, and began pouring his magic in; an indirect contact with the soul in order to heal the core and overall body better.

He watched as the shoulder wound and gashes on the ribs began to close and heal nicely. It was a trick Fell taught him when Red felt that he would run out of energy to concentrate on the injuries as separate parts as he did with the tail. However, this required him to be very careful and precise in his control since he was healing with indirect contact with the monster’s soul. And if he fucked up, then he could kill the lamia instantly.

It was a gamble Red was willing to take and concentrated deeply. Sweating profusely, magic dwindling, teeth gritted tight, Red was doing all he could to perform a complete recovery.

Time continued to tick when, finally, Red gasped loudly. His shaking hands moved away as he ended up dropping to kneel on the ground beside the unconscious but fully healed lamia.

A wide and proud smile decorated Red’s features, and the swell of pride and glee in his heart grew. There was much to write in his journal  _now._

Wiping the sweat from his forehead with his arm, Red jumped when he heard the low and rough groan. His heart raced in excitement, and neared a little close to watch the latter slowly come to.

Brilliant sapphires met rubies, and Red yelped when the lamia stroke fast. Suddenly, Red found himself wrapped in the other’s tail—coiling, coiling—constricting him tight.

It was hard to breathe.  _It hurt._ His bones creaked, close to cracking as the pressure on them kept deepening.

Red wanted to scratch the scales in front of him, to stop it and hoped to be freed from it, but he didn’t want to hurt the very one he healed. His trembling hands settled on simply placing them flat; as if he was just inspecting the scales beneath his palms.

Red let out a stuttering breath, the tears pricking up in his sockets as the lamia neared him.

“Whhhy sssave meee?” It asked.

Red could see the forked tongue as it hissed and lengthen the words, and he wondered if it were like normal snakes. Tasting the air—tasting his desperation.

He could only try to respond as best as he could with the constriction that hasn’t lessened, but thankfully didn’t increase anymore. “Y-You needed i-it.”

Red gritted his teeth, the tears pouring down at the uncomfortable tightness done onto his body.

“… Hhhuunnteerr?”

Red frantically shook his head, his hood fell off from the action.

It made him wonder if lamias were cousins to another creature that turned others to stone upon its gaze, because Red found himself constantly meeting the other’s eyes; captivated despite his situation.

Red was taken out of his daze as he flinched when it began to touch his arm; the very one with his cursed engravings on it. He wanted to retract it, hide it away, but at the same time, Red found himself watching the lamia curiously. It caressed and followed the trails of the design with its large hands, as if it were in awe of the whole spectacle.

Did it know what it meant? Or was it just fascinated by it? Red didn’t know, but he found that he could breathe easier; the strength surrounding him lessened greatly, and now he was merely being held the other’s tail still.

“Maaarrkk.”

Red blinked when the snake monster sounded like it purred and … was delighted by it?

He opened his mouth to ask—“Mmhph!”

Red was suddenly being kissed, tongues meshing roughly and he noticed late that he was being made to swallow their mixed salivas. It made his body suddenly hot—this sweltering heat pumping in his bones. Exuberance and happiness came to the forefront of his being, suddenly enveloping him along the heat, as his soul beated rapidly. His mark scorched, but there was no pain. Only a delirious passion, a zealous fervour.

And when the lamia pulled away, Red was left heaving and yearning for more. A small whimpering whine left him, weakly reaching out with his hazy thoughts.  _Mate._ It said to Red. And the skeleton cried out for the snake.

Red leaned into the touch when his mate caressed his cheek. His small hands enclosing on the large one to keep themselves there, against his face, close to him. It made it tilt his head and present his neck bare for his partner.

Red’s body trembled when his mate inched close, closer, until those large fangs grazed his neck—

A shrill cry was wrenched out of his throat, his mind cleared in an instant as pain so excruciating electrocuted his entirety. Only for a moment.

And then Red found himself being enveloped in warmth; it felt kind and gentle, the very thing he longed to experience again.

_“I found you.”_

Red tiredly gazed into deep blues, losing himself into them once more before he couldn’t keep his own eyes open any longer.

_“Thank you.”_

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So they meet. X3


End file.
